The federal government plans to award a $180 million grant to the city of Syracuse and New York state Department of Transportation in regards to the Interstate 81 community grid project.

Syracuse is the first in the nation to receive money from the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program, created under the Inflation Reduction Act, passed by Congress in 2022.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's office said this lays the groundwork for ensuring the I-81 viaduct comes down, neighborhoods in the area like the new 15th Ward and the city's North side will have the modern streets, new and improved parks, greenery, bike paths and more.

They also say it could help reconnect communities and build modern infrastructure.

"When I-81 was built it cut through the heart of Syracuse, it fractured a once vibrant neighborhood and left scars of systemic inequality that are felt to this day," Schumer said in a statement Monday. "Federal policies are what created the concrete walls of I-81 that divided Syracuse neighborhoods, and today the federal government is stepping up to right that historical wrong."